1. Field
The inventive concept relates to a communication device and a method for controlling power thereof, and more particularly, to a communication device which is capable of efficiently decreasing power consumption, and a method for controlling power thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
With the development of information and communication technologies, changes in living patterns, and high economic growth, the pattern of communication culture is rapidly changed. In a technetronic society, a mobile communication terminal capable of receiving a wireless communication service anytime and anywhere according to needs for information transfer at high speed becomes one of important communication devices indispensable to daily life.
Unlike wide area systems using a communication service area as one wide area, most communication systems for communication services of mobile communication terminals provide communication services by dividing a service area into small areas called “cells.” A communication device, such as a repeater, which provides smooth communication services between base stations and mobile communication terminals, is installed in a radio wave shadow area, such as a basement, an interior of a building or a tunnel, which radio waves are difficult to reach. The communication device receives and amplifies a low-power signal transmitted from a base station and then transmits the signal to a mobile communication terminal or another communication device in a radio wave shadow area. Also, the communication device amplifies and filters a signal of the mobile communication terminal located in the radio wave shadow area so that the signal can reach the base station, and transmits the signal to the base station.
The communication device receives power supplied from a power supply unit (PSU) for the purpose of its stable operation, and amplifies and outputs a received signal by using the supplied power. In this instance, the communication device always amplifies the received signal by using constant power regardless of the magnitude of the signal. Hence, when the magnitude of the received signal is small, the communication device consumes relatively excessive power.